A 1H NMR based dual-reporter binding assay for γ-butyrobetaine hydroxylase (BBOX) reveals unexpected structure–activity relationships for isoquinoline-derived inhibitors.

The molecular structure and molecular forces in liquids and solutions, in particular, have been investigated by dielectric relaxation studies. The nature and strength of the molecular interactions have been established as the main cause for the chemical behaviour of compounds. The dielectric behaviour of dimethyl phthalate with heptanol in benzene solution has been studied at a microwave frequency of 9.36 GHz at different temperatures 303, 308, and 313 K. Different dielectric quantities such as dielectric constant (epsilon'), dielectric loss (epsilon"), static dielectric constant (epsilon(0)), and dielectric constant at optical frequency (epsilon(infinity)) have been determined. The relaxation time tau has been calculated by both Higasi's method and Cole-Cole method. The dielectric relaxation process can be treated as a rate process just like the viscous flow process. The complex system investigated shows the maximum relaxation time values at high temperatures by both Higasi's method and Cole-Cole method. The molar free energies of activation of dipole moment (Delta F-tau) and viscous force (Delta F-eta) have also been reported. The excess dipole moment is also determined. The excess dipole moment is a qualitative index for the presence of a hydrogen bond in the ternary system. The value of Delta mu obtained in our study indicates the presence of hydrogen bonds between the components of the mixture. The system investigated shows that the relaxation time value increases with the increase in the concentration of solute.

The purpose of the paper is to study the effect of institutional ownership on dividend policy. In order to study the affect of institutional ownerships on dividend policy the institutional owners are segregated as joint stock companies, foreign companies, insurance companies, banks, modarabas and mutual funds. Total 104 firms listed at Karachi Stock Exchange for a period of eight years were taken as sample for analysis. Fixed effect model of panel data regression is used for finding the relationship between institutional ownership and dividend policy. The results show that joint stock companies’ ownership, foreign companies’ ownership and insurance companies’ ownership have positive and significant effect on dividend payment due to their high percentage of shares in Pakistani firms and having strong influence on decision making power of the firms’ managers. Banks, modarabas and mutual funds ownerships show no significant relation with dividend payment. The results suggest that firms can attract big institutional owners through growth in their dividend payment which will be helpful for them to get shareholder confidence along with improvement in firm’s performance and high market capitalization.

AIMS: The main objective of this study is to describe patients' clinical characteristics and physiological and hemodynamic parameters at the time of diagnosis in a pulmonary hypertension center in Saudi Arabia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study reports the results from a single pulmonary hypertension specialized center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, namely Prince Sultan Medical Military City/Cardiac Center (PSMMC & CC). Both newly diagnosed (incidence) and referred (prevalence) cases of pulmonary arterial hypertension are included. All characteristics, including clinical, physiological, and hemodynamic parameters at the time of diagnosis are described. RESULTS: A total of 107 patients were identified as having pulmonary arterial hypertension as diagnosed by right heart catheterization. The mean age at diagnosis was 36 (± 9) years, and there was a female preponderance of 62.6%. The mean duration between symptom onset and diagnosis was 27.8 (± 9.0) months. At the time of enrollment, 56.1% of patients were in functional class III and 16.8% were in functional class IV. Fifty five patients (51.4%) were diagnosed as idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension, 29 patients (27.1%) as congenital heart disease associated with pulmonary arterial hypertension, 16 patients (15.0%) as connective tissue diseases associated with pulmonary arterial hypertension, 4 patients (3.7%) as heritable pulmonary arterial hypertension, and 3 patients (2.8%) as portopulmonary hypertension. CONCLUSION: This data highlights the current situation of pulmonary arterial hypertension in Saudi Arabia. Our patients are much younger than patients described in other international registries but still detected as late in the course of the disease. A majority of patients displays severe functional and hemodynamic compromise.

The molecular structure and molecular forces in liquids and solutions in particular have been investigated by dielectric relaxation studies. The nature and strength of the molecular interactions have been established as the main cause for the chemical behavior of compounds. The dielectric behavior of Triethylamine with Dimethyl Phthalate has been studied at microwave frequency 9.36 GHz at different temperatures 303K, 308K and 313K. Different dielectric quantities like dielectric constant (e′), dielectric loss (e″), static dielectric constant (e0 ) and dielectric constant at optical frequency (eα) have been determined. The relaxation time τ has been calculated by both Higasi’s method and Cole-Cole method. The complex system investigated shows the maximum relaxation time values at temperatures by both Higasi’s method and Cole-Cole method.

Background: Chronic suppurative otitis media is a common disease of younger ages which may lead to fatal and other dreadful complications. The objective of this study was to describe the clinical presentation of intracranial complications of chronic suppurative otitis media and outcome of various otological surgical procedures in management of these complications. Material & Methods: This descriptive study was conducted at Department of ENT, Hayatabad Medical Complex, Peshawar, from January 2007 to December 2011. All admitted cases of intracranial complications due to chronic suppurative otitis media of any age and gender were included. Cases of intracranial complications due to acute suppurative otitis media were excluded from the study. After confirmation of complications by computed tomography, a multidisciplinary approach was followed by medical, neurosurgical and ENT departments, including initial treatment by intravenous systemic antibiotics to the definitive final treatment of mastoid surgery. Results: With total 35 patients, mean age was 25.43+9.67 years, range 10-50 years and male to female ratio was 2:1. The most frequent symptom, general sign, otological sign, intracranial complication, surgical procedure and morbidity were otorrhoea 35(100%), raised temperature 27(77.14%), cholesteatoma 24(68.57%), meningitis 14(40%), radical mastoidectomy 23(65.71) and epilepsy 3(8.57%) respectively with no mortality. Conclusion: Meningitis is the commonest intracranial complication of chronic suppurative otitis media followed by brain abscess. Early surgical intervention in combination with broad spectrum antibiotics provides a good outcome.

Background: Antihistamines are the most commonly prescribed class of medication for allergic rhinitis. The objective of this study was to compare efficacy of levocetrizine and desloratadine in once daily dosage in patients suffering from allergic rhinitis. Methods: This study was carried out from 1st January 2011 to 31st December 2011, in Department of ENT and Pharmacology, Gomal Medical College D. I. Khan. Patients of > 12 years age with symptomatic allergic rhinitis attending ENT OPD were included. They were divided in two groups. Group A was given levocetrizine 5 mg once daily and Group B desloratadine 5 mg once daily. Data was collected at first visit prior to medication, second visit 2 weeks and third at 4 weeks. Total-4 nasal symptoms score (rhinorrhoea, sneezing, nasal itching, and nasal obstruction) were compared. Results: A Total 140 patients were included; 42 males and 28 females in group A while 52 males and 18 females in group B. Mean age in group A was 27.4 +/- 9.3 while in group B 27.5 +/- 8.9 years. Total-4 nasal symptoms score was 13-14 in 76% patients at visit 1 in levocetrizine group that improved to 6-7 in 25% and 4-5 in 70% patients at visit 2 and 3 respectively. Patients receiving desloratadine had 13-14 in 58% at visit 1 with an improvement to 4-5 in 21% and 65% at visits 2 and 3 respectively. Conclusion: There is no difference between levocetrizine and desloratadine in relieving individual symptom score in symptomatic allergic rhinitis.

Black brown hyperpigmentation of the mucosae, sunexposed skin, palmar creases and frictional sites (Addisonian pigmentation) is characteristic of Addison disease. However, it can also occur as a paraneoplastic manifestation of tumours like bronchogenic carcinoma. Acquired ichthyosis starts later in life and can also be a paraneoplastic presentation. We report a unique combination of paraneoplastic Addisonian pigmentation and acquired ichthyosis as presenting features in a patient with undiagnosed multiple myeloma. To the best of our knowledge this combination of paraneoplastic dermatosis has not been documented before in multiple myeloma. It is concluded that the presence of more than one suspicious dermatosis may be an indicator of being paraneoplastic requiring necessary work-up.

BACKGROUND:Peritonsillar abscess (PTA) is one of the most commonly encountered abscess in the head and neck region. The aims of this study were to list the frequency of the disease by age, sex and laterality, and to list the presentation of the disease by symptoms, signs and complications, and to determine the efficacy of incision and drainage (I&D) procedure under local anaesthesia (LA) in terms of hospital stay and recurrence.METHODS:This descriptive study was conducted at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery, District Headquarters Hospital, Lakki Marwat, from 1st June 2007 to 30th May 2010. Adult patients (> 15 years) of both sexes with unilateral peritonsillar abscess were included sequentially. Children (15 years or less), patients with acute follicular tonsillitis or peritonsillitis and those who refused incision and drainage under LA were excluded. All patients received the same antibiotic Amoxicillin/Clavunate and underwent I&D procedure under LA.RESULTS:Sixty patients were included in the study, 42 male and 18 female. Mean age of the patients was 30.02 +/- or = 9.42 (range 16-50 years). It was more on the left side (35, 58.35%). Forty-four (73.35%) patients gave an antecedent history of tonsillitis. Three (5%) patients presented with complications. Mean hospital stay was 1.55 +/- 1.00 (range 1-5 days). All patients underwent I&D with no recurrence. Interval tonsillectomy was performed in 38 selected cases after 6 weeks.CONCLUSION:Incision and drainage under LA still remains the gold standard procedure for peritonsillar abscess in our setup.